Papurau Newydd Cymru

Chwiliwch 15 miliwn o erthyglau papurau newydd Cymru

Cuddio Rhestr Erthyglau

11 erthygl ar y dudalen hon

"ONLY A TRAMP."

"HUNGER NO MORE."

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THE WEEK'S NEWS.

WEEK'S NEWS CONTINUED.

WHAT THE NEW ROUSE OF COMMONS…

WALES AND WELSHMEN.

J AGRICULTURAL NOTES.

Newyddion
Dyfynnu
Rhannu

J AGRICULTURAL NOTES. Six days of corn-cutting in the present week will make a satisfactory commencement of harvest. Formerly the corn crops were usually secured in five or six weeks, according to the weather, and hard- working week3 they were, so that after sunset the light of the harvest moon was often borrowed at critical times till far into the night. At the present time the use of machinery has shortened the period of harvest and lessened its risk. If the tun shines in a customary manner, so as to harden the grain, new corn will be brought to market next week, and the earliest trustworthy opinions of the yield and quality of the crop may soon be formed, the threshing machine affording a truer index of the yield than all those prophetic guesses which are every year in- dulged in. The English harvest is of cereals, and hot weather is needed tor itsgrtateat success, with a less obscured sun than we have had lately. The prove: bs that are seasonable just now among Continental farmers do not obtain with us and would not suit our situation. The grape-growers all desire rain in August to en- large the berry. Italians say, A wet August never brings dearth"; the Portuguese affirm that August rain gives honey, wine, and saffron"; and it is proverbially said by the French and Spanish, When it rains in August it rains houey and wine." The English farmer had his quantum of rain in July. It rained turnips fur him last month, and he now needs hot sun to harden the corn. Four weeks' harvest is enough for all parties. If it be more the farm suffers from the delay of other work, and the labourer tires of the long hours and wishes to wind up the farming on his own plot at home. It is satisfactory that the sheaf-binding reapers are everywhere making good work. Binders are becoming general, and we have seen them during the we=k leaving behind them neater sheaves than those which were not machine-cut. The important problem of binding with string instead of wire has been satisfactorily solved, and, except the coat of the string, the only drawback in the use of the self- binders is their failure to discriminate between ripe corn and green weeds, binding both together and thus delaying cartage till the green crop has become hay. The Central and Associated Chambers of Agricul- ture have organised a good movement for the exten- sion of co-operation among farmers for the purchase of larmiDg requisites. In this country there are few co-operative societies; in France there are many, and, although a country of small farmers is more urgently in Leed of such associations than our own, experience has shown that even English farmers would do well to act in combination. The reports of the chemist of the Royal Agricultural Society show adulteration of manures and feeding stuffs still finds victims, while extravagant prices are often charged. The Chambers of Agriculture might perhaps be use- fully employed in connection with a grievance noticed last week—the overcharges of butchers in the sale alike of English and frozen meat. Lord Spencor was hardly posted up to date when he spoke lately of the improved prospects of farming. There is a decided reaction in a contrary direction. A short time since stock farmers were, at any rate, doing well. They have now shared in the reverses of corn growers, owing te the reduced price of meat and of store stock throughout the country. At the Metropolitan Meat Market the top prices per stone (RIb) of beef aud mutton are 4 4d and 5a, while the reduction in the price of sheep at this year's fairs compared with last has been 10s to 158 per head. The farmer's capital has assuredly shrunk this year. He is the goose that lays the golden eggs, for the time at least, but we have been so often told that the consumer is killing the goose, aud that no more eggs will be laid, that we cannot help hoping that, as heretofore, profits will return agaiu. Meanwhile the American corn-growers must be snffericg too, since they are corn growers only, and have not the advan- tages of a mixed husbandry enjoyed in this country. And yet we read in the American paper, the men who produce wheat for the next generation will be rich men." Wheat is to be the wealth-maker of the future, since the consumption of this cereal has over- taken its production, and there are no more Govern- ment acres to subdue for its production, while the world increases its consumption 30,000,000 bushels of wheat a year. At the annual sales of rams held recently Shrop- shires proved the favourites, prices at a leading sale ranging from 10 guineas to 70 guineas. Cotswolds are next in favour, Mr Game's fifty shearling rams having let and sold at an average of ^611 19s 4d. At Mr Albert Brassey's annual sale of Oxford Downs the ram lambs marte an average of iill 71J 8d. Hamp- shire Downs are depressed, Mr John Barton's eighty- nine ram lambs only makinir six guineas each. The price of store sheep at the later fairs has improved, prices advancing 2s to 3a at Weyhill as compared with Overton. The fiity-fourth annual show of the R.A.S. will be held at Chester next year, when Cheshire cheese will be prominent, and a champion prize of .£100 will be given for the three best Cheshire cheeses in the show, and numerous other prizes for cheese of various kinds, and a champion prize of .£10 for the best dairymaid. A prize of J620 is also offered for the best sheep- shearing machine. Butter-making in this country, says Professor Long, has become a poor business. A factory for butter-making has just been closed, though the price paid for the milk was only 51-d per gallon. The price 2 obtained for the butter sold in small quantities was Is 3d per pound, and the bulk was sold at a great deal less. As the milk was not superior, three gallons would be required to make a pound of butter, costing Is 4 £ d., besides labour and all other charges. If the skim milk could have been sold at lid a gallon matters might have been different, much of the success of a butter factory depending on the utilisa- tion of the skim milk.

MR. BUCKLEY'S OTTER HOUNDS.

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